WEBVTT
JENNIFER: PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
WOULD REWRITE STATE LAW, IF
PASSED THIS NOVEMBER.
BUT EXPERTS SAY MANY VOTERS MAY
BOW-OUT OF THE BOOTH, BEFORE
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ALL
THIS COMPLICATED LEGAL LANGUAGE
MEANS.
>> YES, THEY UNDERSTAND ABOUT
THE TUITION.
YES THEY UNDERSTAND ABOUT
REGISTRAR OF VOTERS.
THE CORPORATE TAX THING, NO
IDEA.
JENNIFER: SO LET'S START WITH
TUITION, THAT'S AMENDMENT NUMBER
TWO.
>> THE COLLEGES WANT TO CONTROL
THEIR DESTINY.
THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.
JENNIFER: IT WOULD ALLOW
UNIVERSITY MANAGEMENT BOARDS TO
DECIDE HOW MUCH THEY'LL CHARGE
IN TUITION AND FEES, WITHOUT
LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL.
>> SO THAT UNIVERSITIES HAVE
MUCH MORE FLEXIBILITY AND MUCH
MORE DISGRESSION IN RAISING
TUITION.
JENNIFER: THE AMENDMENT WOULD
APPLY TO LSU, SOUTHERN
UNIVERSITY, AND THE UNIVERSITY
OF LOUISIANA SYSTEMS, AS WELL AS
COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGES
IN THE STATE.
LEE AND CHERVINAK SAY THE
REMAINING AMENDMENTS AREN'T ON
MOST VOTERS RADAR.
AMENDMENT ONE MAKES A COLLEGE
DEGREE A REQUIREMENT FOR FUTUR
REGISTRARS OF VOTERS.
AND AMENDMENT THREE WOULD ALTER
THE CORPORATE TAX STRUCTURE,
ELIMINATING THEIR FEDERAL INCOME
TAX DEDUCTION.
SURVIVING SPOUSES OF LAW
ENFORCMENT AGENTS, FIRE
FIGHTERS, AND MILITARY SERVICE
MEMBERS KILLED IN ACTION WON'T
HAVE TO PAY PROPERTY TAXES, IF
AMENDMENT FOUR PASSES, AND THEY
MEET SPECIFIC QUALIFICATIONS
AMENDMENT FIVE REINFORCES
STATE TRUST FUND, WITH A
PROTECTED PORTION OF THAT FUND
GOING TOWARDS STATE EMPLOYEES
AND TEACHERS RETIREMENTS.
AMENDMENT SIX ADDRESSES
FORECASTING THE STATE BUDGET,
IT'S BILLED AS A WAY TO MAKE
QUICK ADJUSTMENTS IN SPENDING
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND AVOID
SNOBALLING DEFICITS.
BUT DOCTOR LEE SAYS WITH
ATTENTION ON AMENDMENTS LOW THIS
ELECTION, THE DECIDING VOTES,
WILL BE CAST BY THE MINORITY.
>> YOU WILL PROBABLY SEE A LOT
OF DROP OFF, WHERE VOTERS WILL
GO INTO THE BOOTH, YOU WILL SEE
THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF
VOTERS VOTING FOR US SENATE AND
PRESIDENT, HOWEVER THEY MAY PICK
AND CHOOSE IN TERMS OF THE
AMENDMENTS

Six proposed changes to the state constitution are on the Nov. 8 ballot in Louisiana.

Voters will begin deciding whether or not to rewrite those state laws when early voting begins Tuesday. Early voting runs through Nov. 1.

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WDSU political experts Dr. Silas Lee and Dr. Ed Chervenak said the proposed amendments have been largely ignored, with the presidential race at the top of the ticket and a crowded U.S. Senate field in Louisiana grabbing voters’ attention.

Lee and Chervenak agreed that the only amendment likely to catch voters’ eyes is Proposed Amendment No. 2, which applies to public colleges’ tuition and fees. If passed, the amendment would allow university management boards to decide how much they will charge in tuition and fees without legislative approval.

The change would apply to Louisiana State University, Southern University and the University of Louisiana school systems, as well as community and technical colleges in the state.

Proposed Amendment No. 1 would institute qualifications for future registrars of voters. People currently holding that job would be grandfathered in and not have to get a degree.

“Do you support an amendment to provide that the manner of appointment for the registrar of voters in each parish is as provided by law and to require the qualifications of the registrar to be provided by law?”

Proposed Amendment No. 2 allows for tuition and fee adjustments at public colleges to be made by the university’s management board, rather than requiring legislative approval.

“Do you support an amendment to authorize the post-secondary education management boards to establish the tuition and mandatory fee amounts charged by institutions under their supervision and management, without legislative approval?”

Proposed Amendment No. 3 would alter the corporate tax structure. Right now, corporations can take the money they paid for federal income taxes off of their state income tax. This amendment would eliminate that deduction.

“Do you support an amendment to eliminate the deductibility of federal income taxes paid in computing state corporate income taxes?”

Proposed Amendment No. 4: Surviving spouses of law enforcement agents, fire fighters and military service members killed on the job would get a break on their property taxes, if Amendment Four passes. The tax exemption only applies on primary residences for surviving spouses who have not remarried.

“Do you support an amendment to authorize an exemption from ad valorem property tax for the total assessed value of the homestead of an unmarried surviving spouse of a person who died while on active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States or the Louisiana National Guard, or while performing their duties as a state police, law enforcement,or fire protection officer?”

Proposed Amendment No. 5 establishes a Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund and would keep legislators from using that money to fund other projects until it reaches $5 billion. A protected portion of that fund would pay for deficits in the state employees and teachers retirement funds.

“Do you support an amendment to establish the Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund for the deposit of recurring mineral and corporate tax revenues, to restrict the use of the fund to 10% of the balance when the balance reaches $5 billion, to restrict the use of the fund to construction projects and transportation infrastructure, and to allocate recurring mineral revenues to the payment of state employee retirement debt?”

Proposed Amendment No. 6 addresses the state deficit and allows lawmakers to pay ahead on projected deficits when estimated revenues are not meeting their marks. It’s billed as a way to make quick adjustments in spending and avoid snow balling deficits.

“Do you support an amendment to authorize the use of up to five percent of current year appropriations or allocations from statutorily or certain constitutionally created funds or up to one percent of the current year’s balances in certain constitutionally created funds to eliminate a projected deficit in the next fiscal year if the official forecast for the next fiscal year is less than the official forecast for the current fiscal year or if the official forecast has been reduced by at least one percent from the most recently adopted estimate for the ensuing fiscal year, and to exempt certain funds and mandates from being used to eliminate a projected deficit?”